Procedure for making slip-lasted shoes with full-length sock lining and preformed counter



J. MELTZ-ER Dec. 25, 1951 PROCEDURE FOR MAKING SLIP LENGTH SOCK LININGAND PREFORMED COUNTER Filed June 10 1950 INVENTOR ACK MELTZEZ J. MELTZER2,580,037 PROCEDURE FOR MAKING SLIP-LASTED SHOES WITH FULL LENGTH SOCKLINING AND PREFORMED COUNTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 O 5 9 1 1 mm m 5 2m d DFINVENTOR.

JACK MELTZEE Patented Dec. 25, 1951 OFFICE .assmoaqJBBOCEDIIRE'FDRMAKING SLIPeLASJ'iED shoes WITH F LL-LENG soon ANDRREFORMED (JGUN'IJER,

jJackMel zei-Q I Ansel siQaht .apnlicat'ionjinnelo. l,iSe ia iNo-. 734

My present invention relatesgenerally-to= ioctwear, and"has'particularreference tdamrocedure for making slip-lastedshoes'with-a-countercover element, the procedure be'ing'.--an improvement ,overthe method disclosed-inPatentNoQgQtfAQ'l granted to meon flanuary3,1950.

A general-object ofthe invention is to provide a method offorming-aslip-tasted article of footwear in which there is 'a fulllength sock lining stitched to the upper throughout the-full extent ofthe uppers;lower edge,and;in which-the advantages of such a stitched-insock lining are coupled with the advantages of a preformed flangedcounter i n'the heel-region or other region of the shoe. 1

In the -procedure outlined in my said earlier patent, apreliminarystep-consists -in stitching a platform cover to the "lower edge of acountercovering element,;t o form a subominateassembly which issubsequently stitchedto the-upper. practice, the subordinate assembly isnot always used immediately, andif'thereis an appreciable lapse of timebetween'theformation obthe subordinate assembly and its secerement'totheubper, a disadvantage arises from the possibility that thecounter-covering element may stretch or shrink in theinterim period.'Leatherhas a' tendeney to stretch,,some fabrics have a;tendency-toshrink. In either case, ana'lterationiniength of the counter coverin gelement makes it difficult properly to -position'it relative to theupper. If its top edge is correctly po'sitioned relative' to the upper,theplatform cover willbetoo highorgtoo low; audit "the platform cover'is first brought to proper positiomthe desiredlocation of'the 1 11 1 61edge ofthe-counter-coveri-ng elementwjll not'be achieved. --Thisdisadvantageresults-in slowing of thc'manufacturingprocess,and-oftenreqllires the discard of subordinate assemblies, oftenof completed shoes.

It is an-o'bjectofthe present-invention to provi'de an improved methodof assembling shoes of the character referred to, "which obviates theforegoing disadvantages.

A more particular object of-=the-invention is to provide a simplifiedmethod -of making a sliplastedshoe *0? the" characterdescribedwhich willbe of neat appearancc andfit regardless of any stretching cor shrinkagewhich may have taken place in the tcounterecove'r element prior to :thefinalsewihg operations. 7

Another; object ofrt-her invention to provide a methodvvhichrequiresirlessskill and: care on! the part of; thegopcratortOIIHQdHCBUShQBS-"Qf requisite nea-tness Landlqnality, and which-thusminimizes losses duets detective-shoes.

.A iurther ebjeetrof 2 the: invention iseto' provide aimed-10d: of'makingislipelastedshoeswhich lends itself readily to variations-mime;sequence of opovations-so thatzfactoryhelp trainedinpartioularAifilaims. (01.12%?1542) operations may be kcpt-working in theirownoperations out of -normal sequence to avoid"bottlenecking-thatmight-arise from a method'requi-ring va fixedsequence of -operations.

A-method of achieving these general objects and advantages, and such aother objects andadvantages as may hereinafter-appear or be pointed out,is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings,- in which:

Figure 1 is-a -perspective view of an illustrative article of footwearwhich -may be produced by meansof-thepresent-invention;

Figure 2-is-an elevational view of an assembly of parts involved'in themaking of the shoe of "Figural;

Figure-3--is-a partial cross-section taken substantially along line 33of Figure 2;

-"Figure--4 is a view-similartoFigure2 and-showing another stagein theprocess of makingthe shoe;

Figure -5-' is a cress-sectional-view taken substantially alongline 55'of Figure 4;

Figures G, 8 and=9 are views similar'to Figure 2 and illustrate otherstages 'in the process;

Figure *7 is a cross-section taken substantially on line of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of-a typical preformed flanged 'counter;

Figure 11 is -a cross-section similar to that of Figure 7 showing theparts intheirpositions after insertion of the counter;

Figurelzis a cross-sectionsimilar-toFiggre 11 showing the parts in therelationshipthey'assume after addition of. the outer sole: structure;

Figures .13 andz15; are; partial. elevations similar to Fi ure :1 show n:thecquiyalent stage in the rica ion of,sh@ employing 0un er coverineeleme s re-res ective h -short and lower h u pe ta-Whi h i heyiare se nia ,Figguresl, and 16 are-cross -sections; ,taken sub stan ia ly alonlines 14-414 o .Figure 1.3 and .I liwfliof Figure 1.5 re ec ively .Intheshoe show by a oii lustrationi in Fisure .1, the upper com rises a vaml0 and a S aced qua t r I il beu derst dhow r ats i a th preentinvention sc nqerned the upp r may e c t nuous. i de iredand may beformed of a singleel'ement or of separate parts stitched together.The-upper may b preliminarily formed in-any-desird fashionby procedureswhich are well known per se,-andof any desired material. 7 7

,An early stage in carrying out 'the present procedure, although notnecessarily the first stage. -1ies*- in st-itchinga-sock lining t2 7along its margin, -as*--by-stitchesl3-,-to the lower edges of the upper;parts and H. Preferably the stitches t3 areformedin one operation and;in a continuous line about -bhe' entire periphery of the sock liningregardless of spaceswhich may exist As indicated in Figures 4 and 5, acountercovering element [5, which is here shown as being substantiallythe same in size as the quarter, is at tached to the quarter l I alongits top edge only, as

by a line of stitches I5. The counter-covering element may be of leatheror other suitable or ornamental material and may have any appropriateshape or size. For example, in Figure 13 there is illustrated an element25 which is larger than'and.

extends above the upper or quarter H, while in Figure there is shown anelement 35 smaller than andwhose top edge; is below the top edge of thequarter. In these casesthe first attaching stitches are placed along thetop edges of the quarter (upper) or counter-cover element whichever islowermost, as indicated by the stitching 26 and 36 in these figures. I

The importance of first attaching the countercovering element in thismanner will now be explained. If this element is formed of leather,

precut and stocked, it is susceptible to stretching. If it is formed ofother materials it may be subject to either stretching or shrinkage. Asa result, if a platform wrapper is first sewn to the counter-coverelement as in the process described in my Patent 2,493,497 it may,subsequently be found, during assembly or after completion of the shoe,that the upper edge of the counter-cover element does not lie properlyon the upper (or quarter) or that the platform wrapper is sewed at animproper levelv By placing a short line of stitches such as those at I6,26 or 36 at the top or appropriate level of the counter-coveringelement,,to tack it down in proper location upon the upper, the loweredge of the counter-covering element is left free for subsequentattachment of the platform wrapper at exactly the level desiredpand inthis way the parts are properly located, both at the top and at thebottom, regardless of any previous enlargement, shrinkage or otherdis;tortiqn of the counter-cover element thatmay have taken place.

Thus, the position and extent of stitches I5, 26 or 36 is such as topermit the counter-cover element [5 to be folded away from the quarter Hso that the platform cover or wrapper 11 may be easily stitched to theelement at the appropriate level near its bottom edge as indicated at l8in Figures 6 and- 7. This bending of the element [5 away from thequarter ll provides space for the use of a sewing machine a quarter H onall sides except its bottom edge which is free of stitches other thanthose connecting it to the wrapper l1. During the operation of stitchingthe sides 20 of the countercover I 5 to the quarter l I the ends of thewrapper I! may be raised out of the way as indicated in Figure 8.

It is, now desirable ,to secure the unattached portions of theiwrapperl1, forwardly of the breast-line of the heel, to the sock lining and theportions of the upper forward of the heel region.v This securement is bymeans of stitches -22 (Figure 9) which extend through the vamp I0 andth'rough'the margin of the sock lining l2 and are preferably spacedslightly above the line of stitching l3 (not shown in this figure). Thestitches. 22 may extend to the points [9 '(Figure6)"and' thereby stitchdown to the element1l5those parts of strip H which were left detached byterminatiljg the stitches 18 short of the side edges 20.

. The next step lies in the positioning of a preformed flanged counter2'! (Figure 10) into the space or pocket beneath the element Hi. Thisspace is most clearly indicated in Figure 7 and is designated 29. Thecounter 27 can be of well-known type, of suitable stiff material, and ofa shape which fits snugly into pocket with its flange ,28 overlying thesock lining as shown in Figure 11.

At this stage the entire assembly is applied to a last and the shoestructure is 'then completed as indicated in Figure .12. A platform pador sole 30 is positioned over the sock lining l2 and counter flange 28.The platform wrapper I1 is then pulled around and over the pad 39 toenclose the periphery of the platform in the usual way, and an outersole 3| is ultimately applied. The usual adhesive means and pressure areutilized for this assembly of parts.

It is to be understood that in Figure 12 and the other sectional viewsthe sizes of the seams are exaggerated for clarity and are merelyrepresentative, in diagrammatic fashion, of the relative positions ofthe parts. In actual practice, the parts are pulled over the last andassume flattened relationships, closer together than the figuresindicate, as is well known in the art.

Shoes such as those partially illustrated in Figures 13-16, in which theshape and size of the counter-covering element is different, maynevertheles's be formed and completed by processes identical with thosedescribed above.

While the process of the invention has been described as a series ofconsecutive steps, it will be readily understood that the particularmanner of assembling the counter-covering element lends itself tovariations in the sequence of steps as well as in the shapes and sizesof the shoe parts involved. For example, instead of sewing the socklining to the upper first, this may be done after the counter-coveringelement and the up- .per have been partially or completely assembled. Ifdesired, the sock lining, upper and unattached portions of the platformwrapper, forwardly of the breast-line of the heel, may be stitchedtogether in one operation after the counter-covering element and upperhave been first secured together. And in those instances where the upperis composed of several parts as herein illustrated, one part may beattached to the counter-covering element prior to or subsequent to'theattachment of the sock lining to either or both parts or the attachmentof such parts to each other. This flexibility is of great advantage inpermitting maximum use of lesser .skilled operators and in schedulingfactory assembly operations to maintain a full force busy Withoutinterruption or delay.

The processservesto reduce losses due to 1'8? jection of parts andcompleted shoes necessitated by stretching or other distortion of thecountercovering elements while awaiting final use. Other advantages ofthe procedure lie in its applicability to shoes of varying design and tothe placement of reinforcement counters in regions other than the heel.The finished article of footwear has a neat appearance in the partrigidified by the counter, whether this be in the heel region, in thetoe region or elsewhere, and the shoe always has a soft and comfortableinterior, since the sock lining is not susceptible to displacement andis devoid of edges which might curl and thereby cause discomfort orimpair the attractiveness of shoes having openings at the toe orelsewhere. The invention is suitable for a variety of shoes, slippers,sandals and similar items intended for either street wear or indoor use,and obviously the materials used and the styles employed are widelyvariable.

In general, it will be understood that those skilled in the art mayreadily make changes in many of the details herein described andillustrated, without necessarily departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a procedure for making a slip-lasted shoe, the sequence of stepswhich includes stitching a counter-covering element to an upper but onlyalong the top edge of the element, thereafter stitching a platformwrapper to the lower edge of the element, subsequently stitching theside edges of said element to the upper, thereby attaching said elementto the upper along all sides except its bottom edge and forming a pocketbetween said upper and said counter-covering element open only alongsaid bottom edge, and thereafter inserting a counter into said pocket.

2. In a procedure for making a slip-lasted shoe, the sequence of stepswhich includes juxtaposing an upper and a counter-covering element inthe relative positions desired in the finished shoe, stitching themtogether only along the top edge of the one which is lowermost, turningsaid element away from the upper and stitching a platform wrapper alongthe bottom edge of the element, the stitches starting and endingintermediate the side edges of said element, subsequently stitching theside edges of said element to the upper, thereby attaching said elementto the upper along all sides except its bottom edge and forming a pocketbetween said upper and 5 said counter-covering element open only alongsaid bottom edge, and thereafter inserting a counter into said pocket.

3. In a procedure for making a slip-lasted shoe, the sequence of stepswhich includes juxtaposing an upper and a counter-covering element inthe relative positions desired in the finished shoe, stitching themtogether only along the top edge of the one which is lowermost, turningsaid element away from the upper and stitching a platform wrapper alongthe bottom edge of the element, the stitches starting and endingintermediate the side edges of said element, thereby attaching saidelement to the upper along all sides except its bottom edge and forminga pocket between said upper and said countercovering element open onlyalong said bottom edge, subsequently stitching the side edges of saidelement to the upper, stitching the unstitched portions of the wrapperto the lower edges of said upper forward of the breast-line of the heeland throughout the extent of the shoe, and thereafter inserting acounter into said pocket.

4. In a procedure for making a slip-lasted shoe having a sock liningsecured along its periphery to an upper throughout the full length ofthe lower edge of the upper, the sequence of operations which includesjuxtaposing the upper and a counter-covering element in the finalrelative positions desired in the finished shoe, stitching them togetheronly along the top edge of the one which is lowermost, and thereafterstitching a platform wrapper to the bottom edge of said element, wherebythe upper edge of said element and the line of stitching on said wrapperwill be properly positioned in the finished shoe regardless of anystretching of said countercovering element prior to either of saidstitching operations.

' JACK MELTZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

